Gold-saving apparatus.



No. 849,101. PATENTED APR. 2i 1907.

. E. s. BENNETT. GOLD SAVING APPARATUS.

ABPLmATIom'rILED00120, 190a.

' 6 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

PATENTBD'APR. 2, 1907;

' E. s. BENNETT. GOLD SAVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OOT. 20,1903.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

In I III LEVEL ms NORRIS PETERS ca., wAsmNc-rmv, u. c.

No. 849,101. PATENTED APR, 2, 1907.

E. S. BENNETT.

GOLD SAVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION IILED 00120, 1903.

Hams-sums.

0mm: Frzwfas J. 170066663 THE NORRIS PETERS co., WASHINGTON, cv c4 ,PATENTED APR 2, 1907.

E. S. BENNETT GOLD SAVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 00'1'.20, 1903.

Mm I I .ll. 7

No. 849,101. Y PATENTBD APR. 2,-1907'. E; s. BENNETT. r

GOLD SAVING APPARATUS.

APBLIOATIOH FILED OUT. 20. 1903.

6 SHEETS-411E111 6.

7H5 uonms PETERS cm, wAsHlNsroN, n. c

. .PATBNTED APR. 2, 1907 E, s. BENNETT. GOLD SAVING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED 0UT.20. 1903.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 6.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GOLD-SAVING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'za'tented April 2, 1907.

Application filed October 20,1903. Serial No. 177,798.

duced to flow, so as to bring said currentsand material to mercury-containing. pocketsand to mercury-covered plates extending fiom one pocket to the next below for the recovery of the gold, the said currents being caused by j et-nozzles, which direct the water upwardly, laterally, andrearwardly, causing, preferably, two spiral watr-currents in each V-shaped trough, which carry the material gradually toward the tailings end of the tank and during its passage thereto bring it repeatedly to the mercury-pockets and the mercury-covered plates for the extraction of the "old.

0 The invention includes the form and arrangement of the mercury-pockets, whereby a wave-like motion of the surface of the mercury therein takes place owing to the jar of the machinery, thus preventing the sand from packing over the mercury-bath, which would not allow the particles of ore or gold to pass down through the sand and lodge in the pockets, the effect of the wave-like motion, on the contrary, being to keep the sand on the surface of the mercury slightly agitated and in a loose broken condition, so that any gold particles will freely gravitate through this loose layer into the mercury-pocket. The pockets are so arranged in relation to the main water-currents descending along the inclined sides of the tank that eddy-currents will be set up over each pocket, from which the sand and ore will settle onto the surface of the mercury in the pockets;

The invention includes, further, the particular arrangement of non-oxidizable aprons or plates extending from one pocket down to the next and down along which a thin sheet or film of mercury is constantly passing to extract the gold and deliver the same into the pocket below said non-oxidizable plates having the quality of remaining cleaned or line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

dressed and not requiring any care in this particular.

Other features of my invention relate to the general form of horizontaltank comprising bottom sections having depressions from which the mercury and gold therein may be drawn oif, the arrangement of nozzles and their fittings, a circulating system for the mercury by which it may be purified and used over again, and in other features, combination, and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out with particularity in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1. is a longitudinal sectional view of my improved tank with parts in elevation, said section being taken on the line b b of Fig. 6. Fig. 2 is a detail view, partly in section and partly in side elevation, of one of the sections forming the bottom of the tank. Fig. 3 is a plan of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on Fig. 5 is an end view of Fig. 3 with the walls of the tank secured thereto. Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view of Fig. 1 on line a, a with parts omitted. Fig. 7 is a detail view relating to the pockets. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the pockets with its non-oxidizable apron attached thereto. Fig. 9 is a view of the pockets, having a ball or balls resting on the surface of the mercury therein to reduce the thickness of the layer of sand. Fig. 10 is a side elevation with parts in section, showing the tank and the circulating system for the mercury. Figs. 11, 12, and 13 are detail views relating to the mercury-distributing pipes. Fig. 14 is a detail cross-sectional. view of the walls of the tank, showing the pockets with the mercury being fed thereto automatically. Fig. 14 shows a continuation of one of the side walls shown in Fig. 14, the bottom casting, and water-distributing pipe. Fig. 1 5 is a sectional view of one of the nozzles secured to the jetpipe. Fig. 16 is a side view of Fig. 15. Fig. 17 is a sectional plan view on line a a of Fig. 15. Figs. 18 and 19 are detail views relating to the tank-bottom.

The tank is of elongated form, as shown in Fig. 1, and in cross-section it is of the shape of the letter V or multiples thereof, as shown in Fig. 6, thus providing upwardly-flaring side walls, to which are secured pockets 1. for containing mercury and into which pockets the gold settles. The side walls 2 of the valleys are secured at their lower edges to up.- wardly-extending inclined flanges 3, formed on castings 4, which castings have flanges 41 at their ends by which they are secured together, and thus form a sectional bottom for the tank or the valley thereof, each valley being formed by the V shape of the tank, as shown in Fig. 6, having its bottom made up of a series of these castings secured together. These castings carry a water-distributing pipe 5, which extends longitudinally of each valley, the said pipe having j et-nozzles 6 on its upper side, which all incline toward the rear or tailings end of the tank convergent to each other, as at 8", Fig. 1, and which alternately incline slightly to the right and left, as indicated in Fig. 6, the efiect of which is coproduce two spiral currents of water running from the inlet end 7 of the tank to the other end, where the outlet 8 is located, one of these spiral water-currents progressing along one side of the valley and the other progressing along the opposite side of the valley, so that the material which is introduced into the tank through the separator 9 will be subjected to these spiral currents and will be carried up centrally of the valley and then flow over to the side and downwardly along the same and over the pockets supported thereby until it reaches the bottom of the valley, when it will be carried upwardly again, but a step nearer the outlet, and this upward and downward movement of the material is repeated many times before it reaches the outlet end in the form of tailings.

As shown in Fig. 1, I arrange the jet-nozzles at the outlet or tailings end of the tank closer together, so that there will be an increased number of jets at this point to insure the lifting of the tailings up to the surface of the water in the tank and its discharge through the outlet 8.

One feature of my present invention relates to the construction and arrangement of the bottom of the tank or valley, which, as above stated, is made up of a series of castings connected together, and each casting is provided along its sides with double inclines 11, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, these double inclines being located on opposite sides of the water-distributing pipe, and each pair of inclines meet at a point 12 centrally of the length of the castings where an outlet 13 is formed, from which the mercury which has accumulated in the depression formed upon each side of the distributing-pipe may be drawn off with the gold amalgamated therewith.

In Fig. 4 it will be noticed that a space or channel 14 is left between the distributingpipe and the bottom of the casting, said space or channel being located at the bottom of the depression formed by the double instruction above described, the bottom of the tank or valley presents a series of depressions distributed lengthwise thereof and pro viding means for receiving the mercury overflowing from the pockets, as will be hereinafter described. Each of the outlets from the depressions is provided with a valve 15, Fig. 1, controlling a pipe 16, leading to the main 17, which directs the mercury to a receiver 18, from which the mercury is passed through suitable apparatus, as will be hereinafter described, for recovering the gold contained therein and for purifying the mercury, after which it is returned to the tank to supply the pockets, as will be hereinafter mentioned. I,

In the operation of the apparatus the mercury passing down from the side walls is [stopped at the outlets 13 by closing the valves, so that the mercury accumulates in the depressions forming a bed, which being kept in agitation by the vibration of the general machinery pans, so to speak, the gold-bearing sands resting on its surfaces, the gold contained in the sand settling to the bottom of the mercury.

As above stated, the mercury is drawn off from the series of depressions in the bottom of the tank through a main into the receiver 18, and thence it is passed through a screen 19, which takes out coarse particles of gold, and from the screen the mercury flows into a tank 19, whence it is pumped into retorts 20, where further separation takes place and the mercury is vaporized, and from these retorts the mercury is passed through condensingcoils 21, arranged in a water-tank 22, in the bottom of which the mercury collects. A pump 23 draws the mercury from this tank and forces it into a reservoir 24 on the upper part of the tank, and from this reservoir a distributing-pipe 25 extends around the walls of the tank and at the upper edge of the said. walls, as shown in Fig. 14, so as to discharge into the uppermost pockets carried by the tank. An overflow-pipe 26, extending from the reservoir 24 back to the tank 22, and a suitable overflow may be arranged, as at 27, between the retorts and the tank 19, so that any excess of mercury forced by the pump 28 will be returned from the tank 29 to the tank 19. I have shown a plurality of retorts connected with the mercury-pipe 30 and having their supplies controlled by cocks 31, so that one or more retorts may be used as conditions require.

The distributing-pipes 25 are provided, as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, with outlet-openings 26, controlled by valves 27 which consist of screws passing through the pipes and having pointed and conical ends to close the openings 26 more or less, as desired, the said screws having rectangular heads 28, by which they may be operated.

The construction and arrangement of the mercury-pockets form an important part of 1 my invention, the said pockets consisting of non-amalgamable material 32, resting upon angle-iron ledges 33, riveted or screwed to the side walls of the tank. A filling of wood 37 occupies the space below the ledge on which the pocket rests. Each pocket is provided with a vertically-extending inner wall 34, an outwardly and downwardly inclined 1 bottom 35, and an upwardly and outwardly inclined outer side 36, conforming to the incline of and fitting closely against the incline side wall of the tank. Each pocket is also provided with a depending apron 37, riveted or screwed to the upper portion of its vertical inner side 34, the said apron inclining slightly inwardly and downwardly and extending to the upper part of the pocket next below. The pockets are arranged in vertical tiers and are comparatively short in relation to the length of the tank, and a slight inclination of the tank will not cause the mercury to leave one end of the pocket comparatively empty. The pockets are of such depth and width as to hold a. body of mercury capable of producing a wave motion along its surface due to the vibration of the machinery. The effect of this motion on the surface of the body of mercury is to break up and reduce the section of sand which naturally tends to rest on the surface of the mercury andwhich would otherwise pack thereon and prevent the passage therethrough of the particles of gold into the pockets. The wave motion, however, keeps the sand thoroughly loosened so that gravitating particles of gold or ore readily pass through the sand into the pockets. In order to aid in this breaking up of the sand, which tends to cake or pack on the surface of the mercury, balls, cubes, or bodies of other forms, of iron or steel or other suitable material, maybe arranged on the surface of the mercury in the pockets, as shown in Fig. 9, and, as there shown, there may be one or i more of these balls, and they may be of any 1 size desired for the purpose. These bodies float in the mercury and do not in any way interfere with the wave motion described, nor do they interfere with the overflow of the mercury from the pocket down along the face of the depending apron to the next pocket. The effect of these bodies under the general agitation of the machinery is to displace a portion of the sand-bed resting on the surface of the mercury in the pocket and to render the loosening effect on the sand-bed more certain. The object of this vertical inner wall is to prevent the too free overflow of the mercury, which would be liable to occur were the pocket provided simply with an inclined bottom or inner portion up which the mercury in agitation would be free to flow. This vertical wall presents a surface or abutment at right angles to the wave motion, and thus has the effect of preventing the mercury from flowing over the edge too freely, for it will be seen that the waves beating up against this vertical wall will be thrown back instead of, as in the suggested case, sliding up an incline surface, and in this way by my present form I may maintain the required depth of mercury in the pocket.

The agitating effect of the tank is derived from the general operation of the steamshovel and also from the vibration due to the rotation of the separator.

The aprons extending from one pocket down to the next are formed of non-oxidizable material, and the mercury overflowing from one pocket passes down along the slightly-inclined surface of these aprons in a thin sheet or stream to the pocket next be- 7 low, and overflowing that pocket the mercury passes down over the surface of the next apron in a thin sheet or stream to the next pocket, and so on to the bottom of the tank or valley, and in its passage down the face of these aprons the mercury will carry the particles of gold that come in contact therewith down into the next pocket below. The plates or aprons with their thin films of moving mercury are not intended to hold the gold, but merely to arrest the same and deposit it in the pockets. Of course it will be understood that the aprons or depending plates are subjected to the general vibration of the tank and the machinery, and this vibration of the aprons materially assists in the amalgamation of the gold and in keeping the plates clear and also in giving to the minute particles of ore a thrust or impact into the mercury. The nonoxidizable aprons do not need any cleaning or dressing, and these plates are not for the purpose of amalgamation with the gold; but the thin film or sheet of mercury passing down along the face of the apron does this and constantly delivers the gold in the pockets below, and the tank may be cleaned up by simply dumping the pockets.

The mercury passing down from the pockets ultimately settles in the depressions in the bottom castings, as before-described, and is drawn off into the receiver, from whence it passes into the circulating system, as mentioned abovel The jet-nozzles and their manner of attachment to the water distributing pipe form a part of my present invention, and, as shown in Figs. 15, 16, and 17, the said jetnozzles are in the form of hollow cones 6, extending upwardly from base-plates 39, which base-plates provide laterally-extending flanges to fit lips 40 of lugs 41, arranged in pairs on the distributing-pipe, at different points along the same. The base-plates are of wedge shape, as shown in Fig. 16, and the nozzles are held in place by wedge-shaped keys 42, which have limbs 48, fitting between the bases of the cones and the lips of the lugs. The cones rest upon a rubber packing 44.

The openings 45 in the distributing-pipe receive each a cup 46, which has a small flange or rib 47, resting in a recess, by which the cup is supported in place in the opening. This cup 1s provided with a flap-valve 48, which opens upwardly under the Water-pressure, but as soon as this pressure is relieved the fiapvalve closes and prevents any sand or other material from getting into the waterdistributing pipe.

By the above arrangement the nozzles are properly set or directed in relation to the tank by simply inserting them between the lugs and securing them in position by the keys, and the only care that is necessary is to see that the nozzles incline toward therear or tailings end of the machine. The lugs act as guides.

The mercury-pockets simply rest on the ledges formed by the angle-irons, and they, together with their aprons, may be removed for the clean-up.

The arrangement of pockets is such that eddy-currents of the material will be set up in the spaces above them, and the movement of these eddy-currents being slight as compared with the main spiral currents passing down the sides of the tank the gold particles will be either taken up by the mercury film or sheet on the aprons to gravitate therewith into the pockets or will settle out of these comparatively quiet eddy-currents directly into the pockets, passing for this purpose through the loose or broken sand-layer restin on the agitated surface of the mercury.

n order to provide means for drawing the water from the tank when necessaryfor instance, when it is desired to clean up and also to make provision for cleaning out the water-distributing pipe and relieving it of any sand, twigs, or other obstructions, I form the end of the rear section of the bottom with openings 49, 50, Fig. 18, the former being axially in line with the opening through the water-distributing pipe and the latter being higher up to draw off the water from the lower part of the tank for the clean-up. These openings are provided with caps 51, pressed against a rubber washer 52 by a tapering pin 53, which is passed through eyes 54, secured to the casting. The caps and taper-pins may be retained against loss by suitable chains 55, Fig. 18.

As shown in Fig. 7, I place a filling-piece, preferably of wood, below the ledge and between the apron and the side of the tank in order to prevent the sand from collecting in this space and falling thence in a body onto the surface of the mercury in the ocket below. It prevents also the apron om being displaced because of the sand getting back of it and crowding it out.

I claim 1. An amalgamating-tank comprising upwardly flaring sides, mercury containing pockets on the flaring sides, a bottom, a water-distributing conduit extending along said bottom and having upwardly-directed jetnozzles, a plurality of depressions arranged at different points longitudinally of the tankbottom and each containing a body of mercury, whereby under the agitation to which the tank is subjected the mercury in said depressions individually will have a panning effect on the gold-bearing sand, and means for drawing off mercury from the said depressions, substantially as described.

2. An amalgamating-tank comprising upwardly-flaring sides, mercury-containing pockets on the flaring sides, a bottom, a water-distributing conduit extending along said bottom and having upwardly-directed jetnozzles, a plurality of depressions arranged at different points longitudinally of the tankbottom and each containing a body of mercury, whereby under the agitation to which the tank is subjected the mercury in said depressions individually will have a panning effect on the gold-bearing sand, and means for drawing oil mercury from the said depressions, said nozzles extending above the level of the mercury inthe depressions and said tank having an elevated discharge-opening to which the nozzles lift the tailings directly, substantially as described.

3. In combination with a tank having riffles or pockets on the inner sides thereof, in tiers, and a bottom having a plurality of depressions arranged at different points longitudinally of the said bottom, and a circulating system for the mercury connected to the several depressions to withdraw the mercury therefrom and a discharge-pipe along the upper part of the tank to supply mercury thereto at different points, pointed screw-valves in the pipes over the several tiers, to regulate the flow of mercury independently to each tier and to clear the delivery-opening of sand, which mercury flows downwardly and collects in the said depressions disposed at different points along the bottom to be drawn off therefrom, substantially as described.

4. An amalgamating-tank comprising a plurality of removable pockets of non-amalgamable material, each having a substantially vertical inner wall over which the mercury passes, and amalgamable aprons between the pockets of non-oxidizing material extending substantially vertically to the pocket next below and to the outer edge thereof, leaving the surface of said pocket free from its inner to its outer side, said tank being subjected to vibration, substantially as described.

5. An amalgamating-tank comprising upwardly-flaring sides, mercury-containing pockets on the flaring sides, a bottom, a water-distributing conduit extending along said bottom and having upwardly-directed jetnozzles, a plurality of depressions arranged IIO at different points longitudinally of the tankbottom and each containing a body of mercury, whereby under the agitation to which the tank is subjected the mercury in said depressions individually will have a panning effect on the gold-bearing sand, means for drawing oil mercury from the said depressions, and means for continuously purifying and returning the mercury to the top of the tank to feed the pockets, substantially as described.

6. An amalgamating-tank comprising a series of pockets, one above the other, each having a substantially vertical inner wall and an apron between it and the next pocket below, said pockets being removable and formed of non-amalgamable material while the aprons are of amalgamable material, and means for creating a movement of the material down the sides of the tank, substantially as described.

7. An amalgamating-tank having upwardly-flaring sides with ledges extending therefrom at intervals, and at substantially right angles thereto, pockets supported by gravity on the said ledges, and each being individually removable and a substantially vertically depending apron carried by each pocket and removable therewith, each pocket being of non-amalgamable material and each apron of amalgamable material, substantially as described.

8. In an amalgamating-tank, the inclined wall, the ledge extending at substantially right angles thereto on its inner side, a series of pockets each removable and having an inclined outer side fitting the inclined wall of the tank, an inclined bottom fitting on the ledge, a substantially vertical inner wall, each pocket discharging over its vertical wall to the pocket next below, and means for continuously supplying mercury to flow from pocket to pocket, substantially as described.

9. An amalgamating tank having upwardly-flaring sides, a conduit extending along the bottom thereof, removable nozzles inclining toward the tailings end of the tank and alternately inclining in opposite directions laterally, and means for attaching the nozzles to the conduit, including guides for insuring the proper direction of the nozzle, substantially as described.

10. An amalgamating-tank in which jets operate freely while the tank is working and which is kept from clogging when the jets are shut off comprising a submerged conduit and submerged upwardly-directed nozzles, each nozzle having within it a valve closing toward the conduit, substantially as described.

11. In combination with an ore-separating tank, a water-distributing pipe at the bottom thereof, said t'ank having an o ening axially in line with the pipe through which said pipe may be cleaned and means for closing said opening, said means consisting of a cap-plate and keys for holding the same in place,' substantially as described.

12. In combination with a tank having inclined sides with shelves or ledges projecting inwardly therefrom and at a right angle and mercury-pockets held in place on the said ledges by gravity to overflow one into another and freely removable therefrom individually, substantially as described.

13. In combination with the tank, a series of tiers of mercury-pockets of non-amalgamable material each having a vertical inner wall with an apron depending therefrom, of amalgamable material down to the top of the next pocket, a series of depressions in the bottom of the tank, each providing a separatingpan and a rotary separator on the tank serving to subject the same to vibrations, substantially as described.

14. In combination with the tank having an upper discharge-opening, jet-nozzles along the bottom of the tank inclining toward the discharge end and a set of j et-nozzles near the discharge end placed close together, the jets from which are directed to and converge toward the said elevated discharge-opening, substantially as described.

15. In combination with an ore-separating tank, jet nozzles, longitudinal shelves or brackets on the sides of the tank and a filler of wood or other material under the said shelves to prevent the ore or sand from filling this space, substantially as described.

16. In combination, the tank having flaring sides, ledges projecting inwardly therefrom, pockets supported removably on the ledges, aprons depending from the pockets and means for filling the space beneath the ledges and between the aprons and the wall of the tank, substantially as described.

17. Anamalgamating tank comprising upwardly-flarin sides, mercury-containing pockets on the daring sides, a bottom, a water-distributing conduit extending along said bottom and having upwardly-directed etnozzles, a plurality of depressions arranged at different points longitudinally of the tankbottom and each containing a body of mercury, whereby under the agitation to which the tank is subjected the mercury in said depressions individually will have a panning effect on the gold-bearing sand, and means for drawing off mercury from the said depressions, said pockets bein removable whereby their contents may be dumped into the bottom of the tank to be drawn off from the de pressions therein.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ERASTUS S. BENNETT.

Witnesses:

MYRON L. JUsrIN, J. R. ScoTT. 

